The fourth morning began with a crime.
Luna woke because something warm and slightly damp was sitting directly on her face.
She opened one eye and discovered Chunky staring down at her with complete innocence while chewing slowly on a lock of her hair.
"Sir," she said hoarsely. "That is not food."
Chunky chirped proudly and continued chewing.
Somewhere nearby, Smartie Pants made a small indignant noise, which meant he had attempted something complicated and failed. Luna turned her head and found him halfway up Theo's sleeve, clinging stubbornly to the fabric while Theo remained perfectly still like a statue who had accepted his fate.
Theo noticed Luna looking and said calmly, "He has been climbing me for ten minutes."
"You look thrilled."
"I am contemplating freezing him."
Smartie Pants peeped happily and tried to climb higher.
Across the den, Brave sat upright beside Charlotte's sleeping bundle with the posture of a very small soldier. He had clearly appointed himself guard sometime during the night. Every few seconds he turned his head to inspect the room as if conducting a patrol.
Alo knelt beside him watching with deep approval "That one is serious," Alo said.
Ash stretched where he sat against the wall and rubbed his eyes. "He is three days old."
"He understands responsibility."
"He understands sitting."
Brave turned his head sharply toward them as if offended by the accusation.
Charlotte suddenly announced her awakening with a loud, furious babble.
All movement in the room stopped.
The tiny phoenix girl stretched her wings, waved both arms dramatically, and began issuing a series of extremely forceful sounds that clearly meant something important to her.
Theo looked down at her.
"She has opinions."
Luna pushed Chunky gently off her face and sat up. "She always has opinions."
Charlotte continued babbling.
Then she pointed.
Directly at Alo.
Alo froze.
"She is summoning you," Ash said.
Alo approached with appropriate reverence and lifted her carefully. Charlotte immediately grabbed his beard and attempted to pull him closer to her face.
"Inspection," Ash said.
"She approves," Luna added.
Charlotte then spat up directly onto Alo's shoulder.
Alo did not react he simply nodded slowly "This is fine."
Ash leaned forward laughing. "You have been claimed."
Charlotte blinked up at him with wide icy blue eyes and then turned her head to glare at Ash as if he had spoken out of turn.
Ash raised both hands. "Yes ma'am."
Meanwhile Smartie Pants had finally reached Theo's shoulder and now stood there looking extremely satisfied with himself.
Theo stared at the ceiling.
"He climbed me."
"Yes," Luna said.
"He climbed all of me."
"That is what climbing means."
Smartie Pants chirped triumphantly.
Theo sighed and gently removed him.
Chunky, who had apparently decided that Luna's hair was not enough, had waddled across the blanket pile and was now attempting to drag one of Ash's gems away.
Ash stared down at the gem slowly sliding across the floor "He is stealing my gem's."
"He is ambitious," Luna said.
Ash picked the chick up and examined him carefully. Chunky peeped and tried to eat the boot again.
"This one is adaptable," Ash said thoughtfully. "He tries everything."
Alo nodded "He will move between tribes easily."
Smartie Pants fell off Theo's arm.
He bounced once, then stood back up.
Theo watched this with mild concern "That one refuses to acknowledge gravity."
"He has high resilience," Luna said proudly.
Brave suddenly chirped sharply. Everyone looked at him.
He had noticed Charlotte leaning too far toward the edge of Alo's arm.
He waddled over and pushed gently against her side to stabilise her.
Ash blinked "That one really is guarding her."
Alo's chest expanded slightly "He protects the pack."
Charlotte rewarded Brave by patting his head with a tiny wing.
Luna clapped her hands "Oh my god she promoted him."
Theo pinched the bridge of his nose "They are organising."
"They are three days old."
"They are phoenixes."
Luna stretched and then froze "Wait."
All three men turned toward her immediately "What."
"What happened."
"What is wrong."
Luna looked around the den "Why is it quiet?"
They listened, the babies were suddenly silent. All four of them, that was never good, they turned slowly.
Smartie Pants had discovered the gem pile Alo had placed beside Luna's furs the day before.
He had somehow pushed a ruby larger than his head into the Center of the blanket pile and was now attempting to sit on it like a throne.
Chunky stood beside him.
Brave stood in front like a bodyguard.
Charlotte babbled approvingly.
Theo stared "They built a court."
Ash laughed so hard he nearly fell over.
Luna wiped tears from her eyes. "This is the best thing I have ever seen."
Smartie Pants peeped proudly from his ruby throne.
Chunky attempted to eat the ruby.
Brave stood firm.
Charlotte waved both hands.
Alo crouched beside them with deep seriousness "They are planning."
"They are sitting on a rock," Ash said.
"It is a symbolic rock."
Luna shook her head "I love them so much."
Sprout suddenly appeared in Luna's vision again.
[GOOD MORNING.]
[YOU LOOK RESTED.]
Luna kept her face neutral.
Please behave today.
[I AM BEHAVING.]
[I AM ALSO BORED.]
Luna closed her eyes briefly.
Oh no.
Theo noticed the expression immediately. "What."
"Nothing."
Ash looked suspicious.
[YOU SHOULD WALK.]
Luna resisted smiling.
Theo crossed his arms. "You are not planning something."
"No."
Alo looked between them. "What is she planning."
"Freedom," Luna said.
Theo shook his head "You are resting."
"I feel perfect."
"You gave birth three days ago."
"I am healed."
Theo looked unconvinced.
Charlotte suddenly babbled loudly again and pointed toward the tunnel entrance.
Everyone looked at her. Ash raised an eyebrow.
"She also wants to go outside."
Theo looked deeply betrayed "You are teaching her rebellion."
"I am teaching her adventure."
Charlotte waved both wings. Brave stood up immediately.
Smartie Pants chirped excitedly.
Chunky attempted to run.
Theo sighed "One short walk."
Luna grinned victoriously "Yes." She grabbed the soft silk carrier and began placing the phoenix boys inside.
Smartie Pants protested loudly. Chunky tried to eat the strap. Brave refused to enter until Charlotte was secure.
Alo held Charlotte carefully against his chest.
Ash adjusted the carrier strap across Luna's shoulder "You made this for dragon eggs."
"It works for phoenixes."
Theo muttered something under his breath that sounded like reluctant acceptance.
They stepped out into the wider cavern tunnels of the bear tribe. Warm torchlight flickered along the stone walls. The smell of honey cakes and smoked meat drifted from the communal areas deeper inside the bunker.
Luna inhaled deeply "I missed this."
Theo walked beside her carefully "You have been inside three days."
"That was three very long days."
Soon they reached the open gathering chamber where several bear women sat with their cubs. Luna brightened immediately "My friends."
The women looked up and smiled warmly. One held two round black bear cubs who were already wobbling around on unsteady legs. Another woman had a single golden lion cub who attempted to roar and instead produced a squeaky cough.
Luna sat with them happily.
The phoenix boys immediately tumbled out of the carrier. Chunky waddled toward the bear cubs. Smartie Pants attempted to climb one. Brave stayed near Charlotte.
Charlotte watched everything carefully from Alo's arms while issuing small babbling instructions.
The bear women laughed "She's bossy."
"Yes," Luna said proudly "She absolutely is."
Behind them, Theo stood watch.
Ash leaned against a pillar.
Alo crouched near Charlotte as she inspected the other cubs with intense curiosity.
High above the chamber, hidden along a shadowed stone ledge near the cavern ceiling, a massive silver bear man watched quietly. He had been watching longer than anyone realised. His silver eyes stayed fixed on Luna as she laughed among the other mothers while phoenix chicks and bear cubs wobbled together across the floor. He rested one hand against the stone railing "…interesting," he murmured quietly.
He had tried, once, to convince himself this was temporary. A fascination, curiosity, interesting little fox in a very violent world. But fascination did not make a man memories the way someone breathed when they slept.